


The station might talk tomorrow, but I'll just look for now

by Lokisbur



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Sleep, no beta I die like a Jem'Hadar, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29129754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokisbur/pseuds/Lokisbur
Summary: I was scrolling through the garashir tag on Tumblr until I stumbled ontolordesilverstein's soft pieceand well, thank to all the tags explaining quickly the story behind the art, I ended up going wild (again) and write a little something!
Relationships: Garashir, Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	The station might talk tomorrow, but I'll just look for now

**Author's Note:**

> I was scrolling through the garashir tag on Tumblr until I stumbled onto [lordesilverstein's soft piece](https://lordesilverstein.tumblr.com/post/641163425599373312/after-that-garak-insisted-on-julian-keeping-a) and well, thank to all the tags explaining quickly the story behind the art, I ended up going wild (again) and write a little something!

“Can you read it to me?”

“I… Didn’t I give you the book?”

“Yes, but it’s in my quarters. Can you read it to me?”

Garak couldn’t resist those puppy eyes. He knew Julian had a hard day but still came by to spend time with this rejected Cardassian. Elim couldn’t be more emotional than that, really. So he indulged his more or less boyfriend (they still didn’t put words on their relationship, but they had something).

“Alright, I’ll read you the introduction.” accepted Garak, “but then you’ll have to go to your quarter, you look awfully tired my dear doctor.”

Julian gave him a bright smile and a soft “thanks”, convincing him that he wasn’t just giving him a small favor, but something a tad bit more important. Garak sat on his couch, PADD in his claws, already setting his eyes on the said book. He gently tapped next him as an invitation to Julian, who didn’t hesitate a second to come sit near him; not too far, not too close. He placed himself comfortably against the back of the couch, placing his legs in a rather strange posture, as he usually does.

It took some time for Garak to finish the introduction, drying slightly his throat due to the out-loud reading. He stood up to grab a glass of water at his personal replicator and offered one to the doctor, who accepted it gladly. He quickly studied him, noticing the dark circles under his eyes, but how bright those, not tired at all and ready to know more. That was one of the many things that Garak loved about this specific human; he was always ready to listen to others, always ready to know more about cultures, medicine and even religions. But more important than all of that: he was interested in him, Garak. The Cardassian didn’t know if it was just deep friendship or something even deeper, but at least he knew that he could talk to him about almost anything and he would listen.

After both finished their water, Garak placed the recipients on the table beside the couch, preparing himself to watch Julian leave his place. But the human didn’t.

“Garak, keep reading please, this is interesting.” asked Julian.

Those puppy dog eyes again. Garak knew that at one time he’ll have to learn to or master them to strike him back, or at least get immune to them. But as of now, he couldn’t do either, so he indulged his guest.

“Alright then. But let’s not keep this reading time take too long or the station might talk and start… gossips.” he teased slightly.

Garak knew that deep inside, he wouldn’t mind those kinds of gossip; it was much better than before with all those betrayal talks and others; but also Julian might not like them as much as he. He replaced himself properly on the couch in order to help him get those thoughts away and come back to the book.

At the moment he rose the PADD a bit higher, he noticed that Julian had removed his shoes and placed his legs at his side, almost sitting on them but not quite. Garak felt the back of the couch stoop slightly, welcoming Julian’s elbow, whose hand was now supporting his head gently. 

The Cardassian smiled interiorly. **Sure, get comfortable**. He was glad that Julian was feeling good enough to do such a thing, it took him a while before removing his shoes despite being proposed, or even rest his shoulders despite being in a (rather visible?) non-stressful environment. However, tonight seemed to be a bit different than others, so Garak tried to hide his idiotic smile as much as possible and started reading the first chapter.

The more he read, the more Julian seemed to get closer to him. The hollow of the couch changing form, getting deeper as more weight was forced on it. Finally, Garak felt arms envelop his middle section.

“Is it okay?” he heard “I’m not touching something I shouldn’t?”

Garak smile softly, “No, it’s alright”

He moved slightly his arm, liberating more space for Julian’s arms, but stopped in his movement as he felt a warmth proceed down his leg, finally reaching his hand right before the top of his knee. Hand holding then, that he could do and he did. Their fingers intertwined as if they always were meant to do so, exchanging each other warmth, creating a bridge between them, as they like to do. It was the only thing helping Garak to know that they were more than just friends, but since he still didn’t know much about humans, he didn’t know if it meant more than that.

He once again came back to his reading, reaching another chapter. This one went a bit deeper into Cardassian's lore and needed some guidance on some terms, so Garak indulged himself, always happy to explain more about his people to Julian. But after some time he stopped, he stopped reading completely.

“Julian, did you hear what I said?” he asked gently.

Silence was his sole answer.

“Dear doctor, are you listening?” He inquired again.

Garak turned his head, twisting himself in order to see Julian’s face, but not too much in order not to disturb him. The doctor’s eyes were closed. 

“Julian?”

Garak felt a thrill at that name. He never really called the man in such a manner, and doing so gave him quite an interesting feeling. But again, only the silence answered him. So Garak listened a bit more carefully; the man’s breathing was steady and slow, slower than usual.

**Oh dear** , thought Garak, **he’s asleep**. 

The Cardassian panicked a bit. What was he supposed to do? He didn’t want to wake him up, he saw how tired he was. But was it appropriate to stay here with him? It was his own quarters after all, but he was _holding onto him_ . Maybe move him to the bed? _His_ bed. Oh no.

Garak tried to take a breath, hold it, then breathe out slowly. Everything will turn out _alright_ . He extirpated himself with care and got rid of the PADD and two glasses, still on the small table near the couch. He then moved the cushions away from the back to place them in a pile on the floor, leaving only one at the end. Finally, he gently moved Julian in a better position, resting his head on the said cushion. When his work was finished, he looked proudly at what he had done; Julian was placed properly and seemed peacefully sleeping, a sight for his eyes. However, something was still bugging him off a bit. _Blanket_ . He went to his bedroom, grabbing a rather heavy blanket, but the less thermal; his quarters were warmer than human’s and he knew it was also the case for Julian. As he came back and placed it on Julian, he finally noticed what was _really_ bugging him. _He was still in his work clothes._

Garak laughed to himself, never was he expecting such a turn of event. Nevertheless, it felt like the best night ever, he really couldn’t remember a better one. He gently looked at Julian for a while. **The station might talk tomorrow, but I’ll just look for now** , he thought. Yes, the station might talk, but it was his best night and he intended to remember it as best as possible.

  
  
  
  
  


Julian woke up, a bit stiff in his opinion. He stretched and was about to turn in his bed...until he met the floor.

**Oh my, I’m still at Garak’s.**

He stood up quickly, turning his vision dark as expected, and asked the computer the time. Oh, so he was still in his work clothes from the previous day, woke up at Garak _and_ was late.

He hurried himself, replacing as best as he could the cushions and folding the blanket, and ran for the infirmary, not paying attention to anyone’s look on his path.

Later in the day, when he met with Garak at the replimat, he noticed a few looks on him.

“Garak, why are people looking at me?”

“Doctor, you slept in your clothes and then wore them the next day.” Garak smiled, “The station is going to talk” he added with a hint of amusement.

Julian placed a hand on his face and looked at the Cardassian through his fingers.

“I know you’re enjoying this, but I wasn’t prepared for that kind of gossip yet.”

Elim raised his eyebrows (or the most similar thing to it at least). **Yet** , he thought, **Julian wasn’t ready for that kind of gossip** **_yet._ **

He hid a smile behind his cup; it has been the best night ever, but it sure was about to be the best day ever.


End file.
